For more than four decades, the FCRA has regulated CRAs that furnish consumer reports (i.e., background checks) to third parties such as employers. Over the years, several states have adopted so-called “mini”-FCRAs, including Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Washington. Georgia has now followed suit. The new Georgia law, which took effect on July 1, applies to CRAs that “conduct business” in Georgia. The new law affords consumers with protections that are very similar to those provided under the federal FCRA. Despite the close parallels between the federal and Georgia FCRAs, the new Georgia law is yet another example of the heightened regulation of CRAs and the entities that utilize them.

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